Electric signaling apparatus



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G. CUMMINGS.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS.

Patented Apr .10,1883.

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ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS.

Patented Apr.10,1883.

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4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

G. CUMMINGS.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS.

(No Model.)

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WITNESSES 4 o 6 e h s m e e h S 4 S G N 1 M M U 0 Q (No Medal.)

ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS.

Patented Apr. 10,1883.

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Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES GUMMIN GS, OF VIRGINIA CITY, ASSIGN OR OF ON E-HALF TO EDGAR I F. VERRILL AND ANDREW FRASER, BOTH OF RENO, NEVADA.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 275,600, dated April 10, 1883.

Applicationfiled August 29, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

. Be'it known that 1, CHARLES CUMMINGS, of Virginia City, in the county of Storey and State of Nevada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Signaling Apparatus and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the inven tion,suchas will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to that class of electromagnetic signals in which a mechanical signal apparatus is tripped or started into action and also arrested by the operation of electromagnetism. It is intended especially for use on locomotives, but may be applied to various purposes.

The objects of the invention are to provide a signal of this class which is more reliable in its operation that the so-called electric mechanical gongs and cords and bells heretofore used on locomotives, to enable the use of inexpensive batteries of low electro-motive force for operating signals, and to prevent the rapid polarizationof the battery on a closed circuit, while securing at the proper time an ample qnantitive flow of the current to insure the efficient magnetization of the cores of the electro magnet or magnets in proportion to the work required to beperformed thereby.

With these objects in view my invention consists in certain novel'combinations of devices, which will be hereinafter particularly circuit-closing lever. Fig. 7 is a view of one of the magnet-cores, its detachable head being shown in section. Fig. 8 is a detail view, partly in section, illustrating the mode of insulating one of'the binding-posts from the cast-iron base of the apparatus. Fig. 9 is a similar view, showing the mode of insulating the stud which supports the contact-screw.

Theletters A and Bindicate the electro-magnets, each having two coils and two cores. These magnets are suspended from a metal plate, 0', which projects from the cast-iron base G of the apparatus. The cores of the magnets project upward beyond their coils, and the projecting portions are screw-threaded, as shown in Fig. 7, in which 1.) is the core and d its screw-threaded projection. These projections are passed through openings in the plate 0, and above it are provided with nuts d, which thus hold the cores in position with the nuts 0?, which hold the upper coil-heads in place, resting against the under side of the plate. The armatures e and e of the magnets are carried by a lever, E, having laterallyprojecting arms c e to which said armatures are secured, the arms 0 being bent at an angle to the lever and joined to a transverse shaft, E, provided at its ends with cone-pivots, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, this shaft being the fulcrum of the lever. The pivots of the shaft E have their bearings in the tips of bearing-screws f, which pass through the side bars of an open-frame, F, which projects from the base 0 below the magnets.

The usual method of pivoting the armaturelever in similar apparatus is to place its axis in a plane passing through the holesof the magnet and at right angles to its cores, but I prefer making use of the bent lever, as shown, and pivoting it at some distance in front of the poles, so that I get the necessary movement of the lever for operating the valve, and still retain the armature near the poles of the magnet. In this frame is also fulcrumed the circuit-closinglever G, the oppositely-projecting fulcrum-arms g of which have cone-pivots mounted in the bearing-screws g. The end of the short arm 9 of the lever G is curved upward, and its rounded lip bears lightly against the under side of the lever E, near its 9 front end, while the long arm 9 extends rearward below the lever E, and is connected by a spiral spring, g, with an adjusting-screw, 9 which is supported by an arm, projecting from the base 0.

To the front end of the armature-lever E is pivot-jointed a stem, H, which extends downward through a collar, h, formed on the front bar of the stationary frame F, and below the collar h a spiral spring, I, surrounds the stem and has one end bearing against the under side of the collar and the other against an adjustable nut, i, with which the screw-threaded lower portion of the stem is provided. The tendency of the spring I, it will be observed, is to cause the stem to draw the armature-lever E away from the magnets with more or less force, according to the adjustment of the nut i. To the end of this long arm is firmly secureda steel tinger-spring, 7a, forming an extension of said arm and terminating below the tip of an adjustable contact-screw, L, which is supported by a metal stud, l, projecting from the hollow base 0, through the front wall of which its holding-screw Z passes, both the stud and screw being insulated from the base by ebonite washers m and m, and a bushing, m of the same material, lining the aperture through which the screw passes. The screw has the usual metallic wire-holding washers at" under its head.

To the armature-lever E, about midway between the armatures, is pivoted a dependinglink, N, the tip of the lower end of which is in contact with but not fastened to the end of the stem 0 of the valve I, which is constructed and seated in the usual manner in a chamber or shell, Q, connected with the neck 1' ot' the whistle 1%, which may be sounded by steam or compressed air when connected with a suitable supply-pipe, as usual. The valve P has a shoulder, 12, which limits the movement of the armature-lever away from the magnets, said shoulder striking the wall of the socket in which the shank of the valve plays. the valve-shank in this socket is placed a spring, p, which forces the valve toward its seat. The valve is also pressed to its seat by the pressure of the steam or air against the under side of the shoulder p.

The elastic force of the spring I is utilized for opening the valve by drawing downward the armature-lever and forcing the link N against the valve-stem 0, when no magnetic force is exerted to hold the lever up, and the tension of this spring I should be so adjusted by means of the not i that it will promptly overcome the forces opposed to its action whenever the battery-current is broken, but will exert but little force beyond that necessary to overcome these opposing forces. The forces opposed to the spring I are the pressure of the steam or air against the shoulder 11 of the valve, the tension of spring 12 under the valveshank, the tension of spring 5 which holds the short arm of lever Gr against the under side of the armature-lever, and the resilience of the spring-finger 7. after it comes in contact with the tip of the screw L, as the armature-lever moves downward and the long arm of lever Gmoves' upward. A very little tension in excess of these combined forces enables Behind the spring I to draw down the armature-lever and cause the opening of the valve, and it will be readily seen that to hold the armature-lever up and permit the closing of the valve only sufficient magnetic force is required as will overcome this slight excess of force in the spring I. This required magnetic force is exerted by the electro-ma-gnet B alone when the signal is in its normal condition, or not in operation, and the battery-circuit closed. At such time the circuit is closed through the coils of the magnet 13, but is notclosed through coils of the magnet A, the closing of the circuit through the coils of the latter magnet at any time being but temporary and caused by the spring 7; coming in contact with the tip of the screw L.

The otitice of the electromagnet A is to promptly raise the armature-lever after it has been withdrawn from the magnets and when its armature is at a considerable distance from its poles. It must therefore have much more power than the magnet 13, which is only required to hold the armature-lever in its elevated position and while its armature is quite close to its poles.

In accordance with the well-known rule for obtaining the maximum magnetic force from an electro-magnet, the resistance of the coils of the magnet A is about equal to that of the remaining portions of the circuit, exclusive of the coils of magnet B. The coils of magnet 13 have a resistance much greater than that of the remaining portions of the circuit, the object of this excess of resistance being to prevent polarization or rapid exhaustion of the battery, as this magnet is always in circuit. Its coils will, however, have sufiicient inductive force to energize its cores to the degree required to hold upthe armature-lever, though they would not be able to raise itfrom its lowermost position.

In Fig. 3 the circuit-wires are indicated by broken lines, the wire WV leading from the positive-pole ot the battery X to the bindingpost 3 which is insulated from the base (J by ebonite bushings m in, as shown in Fig. 8, and a wire, to, connecting said post with one terminal of the coils of magnet B, and a wire, to, connecting the other terminal of said coils with the post 3 from which a wire, W, leads to the negative-pole of the battery. It will be thus seen that the current will flow through the coils of magnet B whenever the batterycurrent is closed.

From the wire to a wire, w leads to one terminal of the coils of magnet A, and from their opposite terminal a wire,w ,leads to the shank l of the stud l,which carries the contact-screw L. The circuit is closed through the coils of magnet A only when the metallic spring-finger 7c is in contact with said screw L, and then nearly the whole of the battery-current will flow from the binding-post 1 through the coils of this magnet, over the wire w to shank of stud I, over stud l, screw L, spring finger It, lever G, frame F, and base 0 to binding-post g, which is not insulated from the base, and thence back over the wire W to the battery. Owing to the difference in length between the short arm of lever G and the distance from the end of finger k to the fulcrum of said lever it will be seen that if free to move the end of the Y finger k would have a much greater range of movement than the end of short arm but as this finger moves but a very slight distance before it comes in contact with screw L it will bend and remain in contact with said screw while the rigid portion of the long arm performs the remainder of its movement upward, and will also remain incontact with said screw while the long armperforms the greater portion of its return movement. In practice I make the combined lengths of the finger kand long arm of lever G in such proportion to the length of the short arm of said lever that the tip of finger k, if unobstructed, would have a range of movement about eight times greater than that of the armature .ot' the magnet A of least resistance, so that the finger will be in contact with the screw L (luring about seveneighths of the movementof said armature, and during this time, it'the battery-circuit is closed, the magnet A will be changed and act upon its armature; but during the remaining oneeighth the contact willbe broke-n,and the magnet B, being no longer short-circuited, will be charged by the entire current of the battery and act upon its armature, which will then have been brought within its efificient attractive power.

Briefly stated, the operation of my invention is as follows: When it is desired to sound a signal the battery-circuitis broken by means of a push-button, as indicated at V, or by any other suitable means, and the magnet B releases its armature, allowing the spring I to draw downward the armature-lever, which causes the link N to force down the valve-stem and open the valve P, so that steam or compressed air, as the case may be, flows to the whistle and sounds it. As the armature-lever forces downward the short arm of lever G the spring-finger It comes in contact with screw L; but no current flowsover the coils of magnet A, because the battery-circuit is broken. When, however, the circuitis again closed almost the entire current flows over the coils of magnet A, as they have'much less resistance than the coils of magnet B, as before explained, and the said magnet acts promptly upon the armature e to raise the lever E and allow the short arm of-lever G to rise and its long arm to descend. During about seveneighths of the downward movement of the long arm the spring -finger It, as before explained, remains in contact with the screw L; but at the end of this part of the movement of said arm the finger leaves the screwL and the magnet Aceases to act, the circuit through it being broken. At this time, however, the current flows through the coils of magnets B, and the armature of said magnet has approached its poles so nearly that said magnet is able to raise the lever through the remainder of its range of movement and hold it until the battery-circuit is again broken.

From the relative arrangement and action of the parts, as now described, it will be readily seen that my signal will be very prompt and reliable in its action, that a battery of comparatively low power may be used to energize the magnets, and that the power of the battery will be maintained for a long time.-

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the two electromagnets of different resistances, suitable circuitsincludingthe same, and asinglearmaturelever arranged to be attracted by both of said magnets, of automatic mechanism for closing the circuit through the coils of the magnet of high resistance and breaking the circuit through the coils of the magnet of lower resistance during the latter part of the movement of the said lever toward the said magnets, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the two electromagnets of different resistances arranged in circuit, substantially as described, and the retractile armature-lever carrying an armature for each magnet, of the circuit-closing lever having the metallic spring-extension of its long arm, and a suitable contact-point for said extension, essentially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with the two electromagnets of difterent resistances connected in circuit, substantially as described, and a signal aparatus of the pivoted armature-lever carrying an armature for each magnet,-and connected with said signal apparatus, of the suitably-supported stem Hand spring I, arranged to withdraw the lever from the magnets, the circuit-closing lever G, having its short arm in -the path of the armature-lever, and its long arm provided with the metallic spring-extension k,and a contact-point arranged to maintain contact with said spring-extension during the greater portion of the. movement of the said circuit-closing lever.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES CUMMINGS.

W'i tn esses:

JOHN RICHARDS, WM. MEADOWS. 

